Man Nearly Run Over While Trying To Stop Shoplifting Suspect In Yuba City

YUBA CITY (CBS13) – Yuba City police have arrested a man accused of shoplifting at an area Walmart after they say he crashed into vehicles and hit a man while trying to escape.

The story that has gone viral on social media.

Witnesses say it looked like something out of a movie. A driver played bumper cars in real-life, smashing into a car in front of him and behind him, then hit a good Samaritan trying to stop him.

“It is kind of crazy because you don’t think stuff like that is going to happen here,” said Yuba City resident Francisco Serrano.

Serrano is talking about what happened in a parking lot last Saturday. Caught on a cell phone, the incident has gone viral on social media.

“Whoa! crazy!” said one person.

Police were called to the shopping center off Harter Road after a good Samaritan tried to stop an alleged shoplifter.

“He actually saw where the suspect had gone and followed him over there with his vehicle and parked his vehicle directly behind a vehicle suspect had gotten into,” said Lt. Jim Runyen with the Yuba City Police Department.

You can see in the video the suspect smashing cars as he tries to escape. The Good Samaritan then reaches for the suspect’s tire.

“He took a utility knife out of his pocket and tried to puncture the tires. And as he was doing that, the suspect started moving his car forward and back hitting vehicles in front and behind,” said Lt. Jim Runyen. “He actually gets hit by the vehicle and it forces him to fall backward and hit his head on the concrete and the vehicle speeds away.”

Based on the video and witnesses, police arrested 31-year-old Michael James Ramirez of Olivehurst. Police say the 46-year-old good Samaritan was treated at local hospital for injuries that don’t appear to be life-threatening.

Michael James Ramirez

Local residents are disbelief that he was able to walk away.

“I am amazed the guy’s still alive. I thought the car was going to run his whole body over,” said one person.

“He was trying to be a hero but it was a little worse than he thought it would be,” said Serrano.

Police say Ramirez had two children in the car at the time — a 7-year-old and 10-year-old.